turn-around-time

2009-01-14T10:36:00.001-05:00

test

2008-06-10T13:28:00.002-04:00

I have not been posting - I need a new plan ...

fail to plan - plan to fail.

I weigh the same - at least I am not gaining!

what a week it's been.

2008-05-31T08:51:00.002-04:00

Monday, I got off track because of the holiday.
Tuesday - did o.k.
Wednesday there was SO MUCH work going on in our kitchen that it was SHUT DOWN. So pizza was ordered.
Thursday - there was left over pizza.
Friday was a trip to the city and I had sushi and a beer.

Now my vacation week in now officially over and I have confessed my sins.

OH, and, I didn't go to Curves but I did work on my house 8-10 hours a day while chasing a baby - that has to count for something!

remember ...

2008-05-26T10:14:00.002-04:00

it's holi-DAY now holi-WEEK.

I will stay on track as much as possible today but I will forgive myself and move on if I don't.

I wish all aspects in my life were like that - forgive and move on ... maybe I'll have less issues with my weight.

Thanks to all the soldiers. Sorrow and thanks to all the fallen ones.

i will.

2008-05-24T21:16:00.003-04:00

I am on a "working vacation." I have next week off work but I will be at home fixing up my house.

Next week I hope to remain low, low carb and keep busy each day.

I also hope to make it to Curves 3x and go for a few walks.

Tonight I got on the scale and I may be another pound down tomorrow morning.

This might be because I have been eating less carbs (less water retention).

BUT if I am down a lb - that makes me a pound away from the next set of 10's AND 8-9 lbs lost so far this year.

These losses are precious and I must work for each loss.

This summer I WILL fit into some of my old clothes.

I will. I will. I will ... I have good reasons why and I WILL make it.

how low can you go?

2008-05-23T08:04:00.002-04:00

As I said before - I'm on 'the beach" South Beach that is ... however, I've been having a few 'stalls' lately and I can't help but wonder why ...

SO I decided to go back to phase 1 to see if I can remedy some of this madness.

I can't help but think if I could exercise more I could do better.

darn. darn. darn.

I'll try and walk more ... I'll try and move my butt more and do more stuff around the house but you know, a girl's gotta have time for fun too.

10-15 lbs to better clothes.

2008-05-21T08:45:00.002-04:00

So far this week I have worn olive/drab and black every day. Not sure why - maybe that the only ting in my wardrobe that fits me.

In my basement I have BOXES of clothes - the only thing that keeps me from wearing then are 10 -15 lbs.

I've been reading an amazing blog where where this woman lost 100 lbs in 1 year - I have 15 to lose and, to me, it seems impossible. Oh the clothes I could slip on in the mornings had I been 15 pounds lights - the colors I would wear ... the lights the darks ... the cottons and cashmeres.

Many times I said I refuse to buy new clothes - I will fit into my old ones, thank you very much. But after the baby I wore maternity clothes for almost 6 months. That, and what ever elsatic waisted long skirt would fit me at the time.

It wasn't until February I broke down and bought 3 pair of slacks that fit me that were 2 sizes larger than I normally wear. Since then I've been buying things here and there to get me by - tis' true what they say 'you should look good at the size you are.'

Well - I'm happy to say the 3 pair of slacks are TOO BIG for me now and now I am only one size larger than what I was ... which is STILL 10-15 lbs away.

to everything there is a season ...

2008-05-20T08:32:00.003-04:00

This morning as I was driving to work I was thinking about this blog.

I was remembering how much I used to exercise - I ran 6 miles while keeping this blog. Now I wonder if my old bones would even make 1 mile.

One thing that I have a problem with is finding the time to exercise. As it is now, I have 4 days during the week that I can sneak away to Curves ... and I usually only go 3 of the 4 days. The other day I spend shopping and running errands.

They say 3 days of Curves is enough - but you and I know differently.

I don't know if I should try to find a machine that I'll actually use at home ... highly unlikely. Or an exercise video? I doubt I can find the time OR space.

There is always TONS of work to be done around my house - sometimes I view that as exercise - though I can't really get my heart rate very high ... I've even cleaned the house while taking quick steps and running in place. Not sure if this helps but somehow it makes me feel giddy and silly - especially when I sing show tunes.

So I don't know - not sure if I can really solve this problem at this time. I just can exercise when I get the time. I know I will get more and more free time back over the years - not not right now.

sugar wafers.

2008-05-19T08:00:00.004-04:00

I'm having fun here - in my 'new' 'old' place. Not much traffic here and the water is fine - wish you were here.

I do have a topic today - sugar and children.

My son is 9 months old and he goes to a local daycare. During 'snack time' they give him sugar wafers. I told them that I don't want him to have any sugary snacks. But the other day I went to pick him up and what were they doing? Giving him sugar wafers.

Don't get me wrong - the boy will have sugar and he HAS had sugar. For example - the other day the whole family was at a Greek Festival in a near by town ... we were all trying bites of Greek desserts and eating ice cream. My boy had several bites of everything passed around. I think it's fine to have sweets - on holidays and festivals. However, Tuesday afternoon at snack time is to time to break out the sugar wafter.

yea.

2008-05-18T17:15:00.002-04:00

I've been rewarded because I've returned to this blog - I was a pound down today. That's 8 lbs so far this year and 22 lbs to my short term goal "operation gt back to my wedding weight."

I'm following the South Beach Diet and I go to Curves. Exercise is nothing like it was in the past as I have a baby that take most of my time and i work full time. My lunch break and an occasional evening walk are the only times I can exercise. The rest of my time is spent handing out milk and putting on socks.

South Beach is really good except for the occasional trap - that is - I eat too much sugar free ice cream or pudding or something. Everything is low carb - but perhaps I eat too much of it because the weight loss is slow and I look at it from month to month rather than week to week - if I don't I'd go crazy.

8 lbs so far. That's great.

who knew?

2008-05-17T19:42:00.002-04:00

SO - no one ever told me that you'd be wearing your maternity pants months after you've had the baby. I just assumed it would be like I saw in the tabloids ... you know, have a baby and show up on the cover of a national magazine two weeks later in a size 2 - forget about the fact that I wasn't a size 2 to begin with ...

I had a baby in August and I am proud to say I am no longer wearing maternity clothes. I made it a point to get rid of them long about February. I gave them ALL to a pregnant friend so I would STOP wearing them.

Also, I didn't know that my self image would never be the same again. To have your body stretched to 4X it's normal size and back again it no 'small' feat. Physically, I'm not as small as I was before. Mentally, I'll never be as small as I was before.

I can't post my weight here ... but I can say that I am about 23 pounds heavier than when I left here and I am 3 pounds away from my first short term goal.

so where were we?

2008-05-16T09:29:00.002-04:00

Who doesn't love a come back?

I mean, look at Rocky ... and Rambo ... and ... um ... let's see ... Hillary (o.k. bad example but you know what I mean).

So it's been a while since I've posted here. What' can I say? I've been busy.

uh ... hi!

2006-02-14T07:40:00.000-05:00

Sorry, no posts for a few days ... I am torn between starting a new blog or continuing with this one.

In ways, I sometimes feel that I am saying the same things over and over again.

I am back to running but it's a slow start.

Still with Weight Watchers and that is slow as well.

This blog had a good run (better than most of mine!) but it may be time to start new.

I do miss blogging and keeping intouch with my friends.

friday:

2006-02-04T20:37:00.000-05:00

1 hr. elliptical
29 points
5 flex points used

thursday:

2006-02-04T20:36:00.000-05:00

no exercise
28 points
2 flex used

no WI.

2006-02-02T07:37:00.000-05:00

No WI on Wednesday because i was so sick ... I thought I would have lost at least a half a pound (?). Exercse has really taken a hit this week due to the sickness too.

Phil saw his shadow, stupid rat.

points were 26
felx points 2

i WAS sick.

2006-02-01T12:02:00.000-05:00

But I'm sure the gas-foods didn't help (I think I will stock up on the gas-x's for future complications). I don't know if I had the same thing hubby did - all I had were chills and a feaver and I slept for 16 hours (yikes). I could hardly eat - and now I'm just really thursty. He had the whole sha-bang.

Ya know, I started feeling sick just after I created my little plan to start running again.The Ingigo Girls cd will wait ... I'll get back out there.

monday
b-fast - 3
fiber 1, raspberries, skim milk

lunch -6
sf peanut butter on toast

snack - 2
ww cereal, no milk

dinner - 6
chicken w/sauce

exercise - sleep
used 0 flex
total points - 17 points

back on track-sort of.

2006-01-31T07:58:00.000-05:00

I’m keeping track of points again but I’m not feeling very well. Last night I made a tofu-bocca burger-veggie-bean dish that make my insides churn. I got excited about all this low point stuff so I threw them all together an now I regret it. Just because I got low point stuff - it does not mean I have to eat it all at once. I may be getting sick too - hubby was sick. Just for 1 day but it was a horrible day.

Today I will run. First time in a few weeks. I will do intervals and listen to my ipod - the Indogo Girls.

monday
b-fast - 7
fiber 1, raspberries, skim milk
ff yogurt w/ fruit

lunch -4
salad
w/turkey
low fat dressing

snacks - 2
orange
apple

dinner - 12
bocca-tofu-veggies and beans (good god)

exercise - weight lifting
used 7 flex
total points - 25 points

sunday.

2006-01-30T14:28:00.000-05:00

Sunday was a house searching day. We visited an old farm house that’s over 100 years old. I really like the way a spruced up farm house looks but the dirt floor basements are a real turn-off. Still looking - we’re not desperate yet.

I didn’t keep track of points - I am sure there was nothing horrible or that wasn’t very close to the core plan ... but a second day that I lost track of counting. leads to a slipper slop.

Monday - back to counting not because I want to - because I need to.

sad saturday :(

2006-01-29T14:08:00.000-05:00

Saturday wasn’t one to be written in the all time wonderful healthful eating days in WW history.

It started out fine ... had my fiber cereal and soup for lunch.

We tried a new place and I had light beer, peanuts, and 4 bites of hubbys dessert. I also had chilli and a baked potato. It would have been healthy day BUT the bad stuff. I’m sure it put me over flex points for the week and points for the day.

All I can do is get back and try real hard with no more than 24 points per day.

need to run.

2006-01-28T07:41:00.000-05:00

I haven’t been running at all lately - seems like I’d rathr spend an hour on the elliptical or bike than do anything else. It’s really hard to start back up to, I mean a real bitch. Guess It’s 1 reason to never stop!

Need to find a motivation - other than it’s probally the best cardio ever. I guess any cardio would be the best ever - you just have to do it.

thursday
b-fast - 6
fiber 1, raspberries, skim milk
ff yogurt w/ fruit

lunch -6
salad
w/turkey
low fat dressing

snacks - 4
orange
apple
popcorn

dinner - 10
left overs

exercise - none
used 7 flex
total points - 26 points

me vs. the gym.

2006-01-27T10:17:00.000-05:00

Another one of those days when I’d rather peel off my own skin than go to the gym. The very same idea I say over-and-over again “you don’t have to do amazing things when you get there ... just get there.” So I did - and I did the bike for an hour and it was 400 calories I burned that I wouldn’t have burned otherwise.

I became very snacky yesterday ... my points were as high as I’d like them to go for a regular day. Don’t know why it was like this just need to watch it more. It was all good stuff ... just had issues, I guess. I am 2 lbs away from dropping down to 22 points per day - so I don’t want to get use to the idea of having too many points.

thursday
b-fast - 6
fiber 1, raspberries, skim milk
ff yogurt w/ fruit

lunch -7
salad
w/turkey
low fat dressing
soup

snacks - 8
orange
apple
popcorn
various stuff

dinner - 10
pork loin and sauerkraut, potato

exercise - bike
used 7 flex
total points - 31 points

ww i going o.k.

2006-01-26T15:59:00.000-05:00

It’s really helpful because I know a few folks that started WW at the same time as me. It’s nice to share ideas and feelings about the whole process with them. We can even flash each WW gang signs like an unspoken understanding of the struggle we as plus sizes face. Perhaps we can even come up with a hand gesture code for points, calories, fat, and fiber.

It’s nice to relly be a part of something, ya know?

wednesday
b-fast - 6
fiber 1, raspberries, skim milk
ff yogurt w/ fruit

lunch -5
salad
w/turkey
low fat dressing

snacks - 8
orange
apple
popcorn
celery/cream cheese

dinner - 10
salad, soup

exercise - none
used 4 flex
total points - 28 points

well what do you know?

2006-01-25T15:47:00.000-05:00

I still know how to lose weight. I lost 1.5 lbs this week at WW. I felt very good about my choices this week, however there is that hour or tow before the meeting where you are SURE you gained and you look back at your week and you think of everything you would have done differently but didn’t.

I am excited to do good this week.

tuesday
b-fast - 6
fiber 1, raspberries, skim milk
ff yogurt w/ fruit

lunch -5
salad
w/turkey
low fat dressing

snacks - 5
orange
apple
popcorn
diet hot coco

dinner - 10
potato venison

exercise - elliptical 1 hr.
used 2 flex
total points - 26 points

easier as i go.

2006-01-24T09:09:00.000-05:00

I am starting to remember just how 24 points feels. I may have been over doing it ... I tell you if the evening snacks were cut out I’d be a size 6 (true or not - it’s fun to say).

I’ll find out at Wednesdays WI if I need to step it up.

monday
b-fast - 6
fiber 1, raspberries, skim milk
ff yogurt w/ fruit

lunch -5
salad
w/turkey
low fat dressing

snacks - 4
orange
apple
popcorn

dinner - 9
chicken w/sauce and vegetables

exercise - bike 1 hr.
used 0 flex
total points - 24 points

i’ve been playing by the rules.

2006-01-23T15:17:00.000-05:00

I really hope to see a loss this week. I really, really do. I’ve counted points and didn’t exercise everyday but I did it when I could.

Makes me think of people that scoff and say how could so-and-so have gained so much weight? Or look at them ... it’s like they aren’t even trying.

But I’m trying. I am trying REALLY hard.

sunday
b-fast - 3
fiber 1, raspberries, skim milk

lunch - 8
soup
tuna salad
low fat dressing

snacks - 2
popcorn

dinner - 13
lite mac and cheese, spinach, bocca

exercise - none
used 2 flex
total points - 26 points

party points.

2006-01-22T09:03:00.000-05:00

Yesterday my points were high but I still had flex points to use AND I ate low point foods the rest of the day.

I discovered that tofu, thai seasoning (w/o peanut butter), and veggies were only 4 points if you cook then in a no-fat cooking spray. Nice to know, if I ever have to go out for lunch or use my points on something else ... AND bocca is always a good low-pointer.

saturday
b-fast - 3
fiber 1, raspberries, skim milk

lunch - 6
bocca
chilli
salad
low fat dressing

snacks - 17
party food (inclucing cake)

dinner - 4
chicken w/whole what noodle soup, bocca burger

exercise - none
used 6 flex
total points - 30 points

birthday party.

2006-01-21T20:55:00.000-05:00

I haven't been weighing myself during the week - but I weighted myself today. It was a little high. I don't get it - I've been so good. Could go down tomorrow but I'm not going to weigh myself again. All I know is I'll be sad if I don't lose even a little at WI on Wednesday.

Went to a birthday party today. I did have some snacks but not a lot and I ate low cal. foods all day long - so I needed to use flex points - but only a few.

friday
b-fast - 6
fiber 1, raspberries, skim milk
ff yogurt w/ fruit

lunch -5
salad
w/turkey
low fat dressing

snacks - 4
orange
apple
popcorn

dinner - 9
chicken w/whole what noodle soup, bocca burger

exercise - weights
used 0 flex
total points - 24 points

better than before.

2006-01-20T14:14:00.000-05:00

My points were a little lower ... I’m a little more in control. I was thinking - I still haven’t had any alchol yet this year.

I think I’m skipping the ff cheese on my salad - saves me 1 point and I have ff yogurt and ff milk for b-fast, so I think I can afford to skip it.

I need new low point lunch ideas. Maybe low carb wraps? Different kind of salad. I really don’t have time to make a big fuss - just like to grab it and go. Not really keen on public microwaves either. I do know a Hershey bar is 5 points - sounds like a good lunch to me but I’ll probally swtich it up with low carb wraps.

thursday
b-fast - 6
fiber 1, raspberries, skim milk
ff yogurt w/ fruit

lunch -6
salad
w/turkey and ff cheese
low fat dressing

snacks - 4
orange
apple
popcorn

dinner - 11
tuna salad, lt mayo low fat dressing, crutons, chili

exercise - none
used 5 flex
total points - 27 points

easy on the points!

2006-01-19T14:54:00.000-05:00

Used all my points yesterday and 5 flex. Dinner included rice and shrimp with olive oil and the points went high. Not horrible or bad just THE MAX amount of points I should ever have for 1 day.

It’s hard to eat a small amount of rice and be satisfied - same way with pasta - something about those foods that I can consume too much of w/out noticing.

tuesday
b-fast - 6
fiber 1, raspberries, skim milk
ff yogurt w/ fruit

lunch -6
salad
w/turkey and ff cheese
low fat dressing

snacks - 4
cheese stick
apple
popcorn

dinner - 13
rice, shrimp, veggies

exercise - none
used 5 flex
total points - 29 points

my goal is 24 points.

2006-01-18T13:33:00.000-05:00

First day back to WW. Not bad at all. It was a real nice group or ladies with a few very motivating success stories.

Todays meeting just basically went over the WW plan. I actually started yesterday ... trying to eat less and more planned meals.

My weight was a little higher than I expected - but I usually weigh myself first thing in the morning - naked. Not with winter clothes mid-day. I was 4 pounds higher than I thought but it makes since to me. No surprises - that’s what I like.

I’m a little sad the meeting will tae away my Wednesday lunch time work-out but I’m sure it will be worth it in the end.

monday
b-fast - 6
fiber 1, raspberries, skim milk
ff yogurt w/ fruit

lunch -6
salad
w/turkey and ff cheese
low fat dressing

snacks - 4
apple
orange
popcorn

dinner - 9
chilli
salad w/chicken
low fat dressing

exercise - 12 mile bike ride - 4 points earned
total points - 25 points

darn cold.

2006-01-17T13:04:00.000-05:00

The furnace went off. The all around temps here dropped from 59 degrees to 9 degrees in a day-and-a-half. During the night the heat in my house dropped to 50 degrees. Brrrrr. Makes me think of the homeless or the ones that can’t afford to heat their homes.

Any how, the whole no-heat thing put me into a bit of a funk today. No shower, just washed off. Came to work late - but what can you do? Should be fixed by now.

Got new batteries for my WW calculator but now I need a mini screwdriver ... will the drama ever end?

First WW meeting tomorrow. Points so far today - 5 for breakfast, 6 for lunch. 2 point snack later on. Right now - fitness center - I think I’ll ride the bike today.

when it counts.

2006-01-16T12:56:00.000-05:00

Monday was weight lifting. I warmed up on the elliptical - was next to a guy that had the whole natural scent thing going. People, please, if you go to a gym in a public place make sure they can’t smell you before they see you. I had to cut cardio short for the simple fact I couldn’t breathe.

Counted the points I had for the day - just because I wanted to get and idea of what I need to change in general. I guess my points were a little high. Back to a fiber 1 breakfast ... 2-3 points with skim milk and raspberries - saved myself 5 points off the bat. Back to a salad instead of a sandwich or maybe a low carb/high fiber wrap. 2-3 more points saved.

Jeez, you really forget how to save the calories when they aren’t being counted.

first - you must think one.

2006-01-15T13:49:00.000-05:00

Starting to think like a “weight watcher.” How many points for this or that? Am I a Core or Flex person. Where are my little books? Where is my calculator?? It needs batteries - the darn little ones from the jewelry counter.

I hit my all time recent low on the WW plan. So, who knows? Maybe I can do it again and then some ...??

No exercise this weekend. More house hunting. It’s a long process.

ok - so a brick wall it is ...

2006-01-14T09:57:00.000-05:00

I think I am going to join Weight Watchers again. After a weekend of soul searching - and I found out one of my best friends is joining (a different meeting - but none the less) I decided it would be more fun if I knew someone doing it. AND one of my favorite people from work is doing it too. She is the gal to go to the meetings wit too because she did really well with it over the last year. Maybe some of her good attitude will rub off on me.

out of the zone.

2006-01-13T07:55:00.000-05:00

I’m still sore from Wednesdays weight lifting. Yesterday I did 12 miles cross training on the bicycle. I haven’t ran all week. Guess I just wasn’t feeling up to that level of cardio. Last night, as I was driving home, I became totally exhausted for no reason. I don’t know if it was the warm weather or that I’m getting sick or what ... I needed a 20 minute rest after dinner then I felt ok - not peppy but better.

Maybe I felt tired because I have been getting away from my “zone-like” eating plan.

Already I have got into the habit of eating the same things every day and I see my portions growing and little extras in between. I wonder if I should go back to Weight Watchers. Sometimes I’d rather back up and head full force into a brick wall over and over again then to sit and listen to someone go on and on about weight loss and exercise. It's like someone repeating their ABC’s over and over again once a week for an hour. I did enjoy WW at one time - who knows maybe I’d enjoy it again. I don’t have the impression that I need to lose weight and fast. I just like to strive to be healthy - and sometimes poor eating habits come into play.

lifting.

2006-01-12T07:43:00.000-05:00

Wednesday I went to my first weight training circuit for the year - they cut it down to 2 days a week instead of three. I needed to start at a much lower weight then I left off - but that’s part of the fun and reward - building back up.

No one wanted to cook so it was dinner out. I really didn’t order or eat anything that would been seen as “bad” but what I did eat sat in my tummy like a rock - long past bedtime. Yuck.

I’ll be sore from lifting but that means I’ve accomplished something.

I deleted everything from my ipod ... and I didn’t have anything saved on my itunes. Blah. Now I have to start over!

more stuff.

2006-01-11T08:05:00.000-05:00

I am excited about the New Year’s line up at the fitness center. They will be doing a body fat loss challenge, maybe yoga and a new weight lifting circuit ... all kinds of fun things.

Today my goal is stick to the plan, no snacking, go to the circuit at the fitness center - and keep my house clean. O.k. maybe I won’t keep the house clean but I’ll try.

Also, I know someone that is going on the Nutrisystem diet. It’s the diet where they send the exact amount of food to your house that you should consume. I’ll ask her if it’s o.k. to post if she likes it or not or what her results are. Seems a little expensive $300 for a month. BUT you don’t really need groceries and there is no eating out - so - it may work out in the end (?).

pop talk.

2006-01-10T07:58:00.000-05:00

Tuesday was a good day at the gym - did elliptical for 40 mins - burned 400 calories (or so the machine said ...).

Went for a walk/dinner (soup and half sandwich) with a friend.

Felt snacky at night - first time all year. I HATE THAT! But how do you not feel snacky. I truly believe it’s my biggest down fall. So I was starting to nibble at left overs and then decided on the low fat pop corn - if I going to snack - I may as well get fiber too. And if I have the popcorn - it almost always fills me up.

little update.

2006-01-09T16:09:00.000-05:00

11 mile bike ride today a no resistance and the to the highest resistance and back down again. The bike is a nice break - but my butt always sweats in the seat and leave sweat marks when I get up. But what are you gonna do - it’s a gym, people sweat.

Diet is wonderful - I always do better during the week for some strange reason ... could be a little more structure? Who knows.

Mondays go fast. Gotta run.

keeping the faith.

2006-01-08T22:08:00.000-05:00

House hunting today. Went to an open house. I can't believe how much realitors want for some of these houses. I know it's different nationwide and even around the world. But I have lived in this area all my life and I can say with confidence that these people are CRAZY! We have a 3 bedroom ranch on 2 acres, right? They want to sell a brand new 3 bedroom 2 story modular house on .5 acres in a similar location for 3x as much. And there was no real nice feature about the house. It smelled like a new car and who knew that they don't build an attic in houses any more? Oh, and all the fire places are gas - I guess it's a good idea if you don't have any money left to buy LAND to cut your own WOOD. "Some guy" was selling a few acres of timbered (but not cleared), maybe a good deal?

I had to have lunch out. BUT I got a wrap sandwich and had half of it for lunch and half for dinner. Not a bad deal AT ALL - except for the fact that houses are over priced and dinky.

still sticking ot the plan, for the most part.

2006-01-08T21:54:00.000-05:00

The new healthy me is still doing o.k., that is, I did have a mishap on Saturday but I forgive myself and move on. I went to a tupperware party at my sisters house. I had lunch before I left so I wouldn't get hungry. She put out snacks at the party ... who knew I'd be there from 3-6 p.m. I got hungry and I think I over did it on the carbs.

It's o.k. I didn't over eat or eat until I was double stuffed - which is my big problem. I felt fine with it - just wish I didn't have so many carbs. After that, I ended up having some soup, which was healthy, so I didn't get hungry and eat anything bad later at night.

It sure helps when there is nothing bad to eat in stock. By the way - no beers, wine or alcohol this week.

feeling good, feeling bad.

2006-01-06T13:04:00.000-05:00

My head hurts today. Hate to say it but I may not make it over the gym today. Feels like a “storm front” headache but I don’t even know if we are expecting precipitation. Maybe I’m just feeling a little sick like I was last week. Blah.

Last night I felt like I was on top of the world - could barely sleep because I felt so good. I woke up this morning and had to hit the snooze 3 times (it’s a horrible habit ... especially because I have to set my alarm 20 mins ahead anyhow).

So there you have it ... girls that eat healthy sometimes feel bad too.

the right thing.

2006-01-05T19:43:00.000-05:00

Ran 3.5 miles to day and did 75 crunches on the crunch machine.

Still trying to fine tune the carb/fat/protien balance. I am starting to remember the Zone and the way I felt when I was doing that diet. It really is a good healthy balance. I don't know if you could know what it feels like until you try it. I call the sensation "feeling good in my skin." I am not carb bloated - yet I am satisfied and feel strong at the gym. I feel unfluffy.

The one thing that really bothers me is - if I feel so good when I do this sort of eating style - why is it so easy to fall into an eating trap and let myself get out of control. I'm going to try and keep this going for as long as I possibly can. It's the right thing to do.

La, la, la, la, la.

2006-01-04T15:58:00.000-05:00

Today is January 4th and I didn’t mess up my healthy way of eating yet.

I am still following Denise Austins ideal diet - which, according to a lot of other sources, is probably the way I should be eating - all the time.

Ran for 20 mins. today, managed to freeze my ipod then walked up hill for another 20 mins. Did 100 crunches on the crunch machine and left the gym.

Like the Zone, Denise Austin separates food into the groups we should be eating ... carbs, protein, and fat. 50% - carbs, 25% - protein, 25% - fat. (I think the zone is 40, 30, 30). It’s very interesting - I discovered I didn’t really have a lot of calories during the day. I added a few. I need to raise the good fats and lower the carbs. It’s different and fun so, why not.

Today, I’m on top of my game, feels good to be me.

exercise!

2006-01-03T11:35:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is my exercise kick off for the new semester - and I have a bit of a sore throat. I think I will do some walking or elliptical. Maybe life LIGHT weights. I just know I'll be sore for being a holiday mole.

It is so nice to read about everyone's healthy plans. You know - I''m never sure how true TV stories are - but I read that half of all American women from African decent are over weight. This just can't be ... it makes my heart sink. And it's those women I feel for it's all woman. I know some us try to do it to be thin and pretty but what's so funny about being HEALTHY and STRONG. I really think we will need it for the uncertain future we all face.

stock up on the LEAN.

2006-01-03T11:32:00.000-05:00

Two days of eating good. I mean really healthy I have the whole grains, veggies, the dairy, the protein - the portions are really good. Water is good - o.k. a little coffee - we'll see about making it caffeine free someday.

I am going to the grocery store today. Hubby is home every night for 3 months. So, I want to stock up on really healthy stuff like salmon, boneless chicken breast, maybe a shrimp dish ... turkey. I'm going to get BAGS of fresh veggies and salad. Whole grain bread, FF cheese and FF milk. I'm ready to spend (because I know I will have to!).

I am not die-hard on the plan but I am trying to follow Denise Austin's plan. I have always enjoyed her and Prevention magazine. I can always take away a gold nugget of knowledge about a healthy life style.

new years day.

2006-01-02T17:21:00.000-05:00

Sunday was rough. I went to my sisters house for a new year party. I was drinking beer - that's all I swear. But I got really sick. I was sick all day Sunday. I have never been sick like that before. It made me think if Christmas eve when I had a few drinks ... I became very sick then too. I am starting to think that I just can't handle drinking anymore. I mean, it make me feel REALLY bad. It's not really a resolution but I think I am going to cut out all alcoholic drinks. I don't have them every night - but I do when I go out and maybe on the weekends. I'll try it cutting out drinks and see how it goes. I bet I'll save a ton of calories.

I lost weight over my break. I did splurge - on the holidays - but for the most part I only kept healthy things around the house. I didn't exercise worth a darn so I fear the few pounds I lost was muscle mass. (Oh the horror!). I think when I started loosing weight after the wedding I was up to 182 lbs - now I am back down to 175 lbs. (I hate telling my coworkers how much I weigh ... but it IS a diet blog, right?). I looked last year at this time and my weight was 177 lbs ... TWO LBS DOWN!! (and it only took a year).

The Denise Austin book is ordered and the Steve Tyler book is on the way. If diet a healthy diet and good exercise isn't enough the I suppose sex, drugs and rock-n-roll will do - but I may need to start drinking again - and I just quit.

new years eve.

2005-12-31T18:51:00.000-05:00

I must have an eye for real estate (or I know a bargain when I see one) I saw this sweet 10 acre lot that was at a perfect location and even better price. I was going to call the Realtor on Tuesday and give it a new years drive by tomorrow. SALE PENDING. Blah. I had the new house practically built on the way to the super market today.

Off to sis's house for a party -- don't tell the guests but I used light cheese, sour cream and mayo for the spinach dip (no one has to know).

Cleaned the bathroom today - pulled every thing out and got rid of some more stuff, yay.

Sorry if you're looking here to read about diet/exercise - I haven't really been faithful to the practice the last week or so, the holidays/vacations always mess me up. I'll get back to it this week, I swear.

Happy New Years everyone!

cleaning.

2005-12-30T11:58:00.000-05:00

Met my cleaning goals yesterday. Today, I will do book shelves, coat closet and living room. It is so liberating to throw away junk. Sometimes I think that if I can throw away junk in my house I can burn off the junk in my body and if I can get my house nice and tidy I will be tidy too.

Actually, my first job after highschool was a motel maid. I would go room to room with a lady named "Bonnie" who lit a generic 100 (long length) cigarette after every room and she never took the cigarette out of her mouth - she let the ash burn real long and I would always wonder where it would fall. Sometimes it fell on her while she was talking. At nights I delivered pizza downtown to a near by college. So you see, cleaning really was my profession at one time. Soon after, I decided that I needed to go to college.

I'm still thinking about the Denise Austin book. I may decide to order it today. My Amazon account is all wacky because of my new name change. So I will need to persuade hubby to order it for me. Maybe my reward for working on the house?

more of the same ...with a twist.

2005-12-29T10:23:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I cleaned the kitchen the cupboards, the shelves, the stove, frige (yuck) sink, floors ... everything. Today I will clean the laundry room, desk, and pantry. That way 25% of my house will be clean. It won't take as long to clean the rest of the house. I am paying special attention to cleaning as we may sell the house this year (maybe soon?). I guess we have to find a place first!

I went to the grocery store last night and picked up the latest copy of Prevention magazine - a weight loss guide. It was all focused around Denise Austin (figures) and her diet. I was paging through the guide and I really liked it. It was a lot like the Zone diet I tried about 5 years ago. I may get the book. Wonder if I order it now - maybe it will be here by Monday - perfect timing.

Getting lots done but looking forward to using my ipod on the treadmill. Maybe I'll go 6 miles this time!! Yea! Happy day everyone!

lame, i know.

2005-12-28T11:18:00.000-05:00

Not doing to much exercise. I'm feeling slow and achy. I get a little time off and what do I do? I don't exercise - I do what I need to do - get caught up on other stuff.

Today - probably much like tomorrow - I will clean and organize. I will look through the real-estate listings and wonder why every house I adore is just out of our budget (could it be our budget is too low?). I will update my ipod and wonder why my coworkers want to read about what I'm doing while I am on break.

I am looking forward to returning to a regular schedule next Wednesday until then the exercise is more or less going to be hit or miss until then.

i'm sporting the ipod.

2005-12-27T20:12:00.000-05:00

now i should sport it doing something constructive, i guess.

here is a nice song.

Both Sides Now
(Joni Mitchell)
Rows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
I've looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and they snow on everyone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way

I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way that you feel
As every fairy tale comes real
I've looked at love that way

But now it's just another show
And you leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know
Don't give yourself away

I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall
I really don't know love
Really don't know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say "I love you" right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I've looked at life that way

Oh but now old friends they're acting strange
And they shake their heads
And they tell me that I've changed
Well something's lost but something's gained
In living every day

I've looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life
I really don't know life at all

is it possible to have too much fun? why, yes.

2005-12-26T18:42:00.000-05:00

I feel horrible - but I had fun. It started, I think when I was by myself on Christmas Eve when I had a few drinks. Then went to the in-laws for prime ribs and crab legs. We were sent home with way too many left overs and had a few too many cocktails. Woke up, had breakfast on the run - on the way to my sisters party where she served all kinds of left overs form her Christmas dinner - including cookies, fruit cake and peanut brittle. I HAD to leave after a few hours because my over stuffed half drunken body couldn't take it any more.

I really wanted to have exercise be in focus over my time off from work but it seems that so far Ive either been going to a party, at a party or getting ready for a party since I've been off work on Friday. And if that isn't the case - I've been too exhausted or tipsy to remember what I was doing at the time. I can't even imagine what folks do with kids thrown into the mix because I can't even find my cats in all this mess.

Tomorrow I will see my mom and spend the day with her and an antique mall in a near by town. I am looking forward to a day where I have nothing to do all day. I need to organize my life so that I can enter the new year neat and clean and ready to accomplish my goals.

Last year before the new year - I was able to have the whole house cleaned room by room. I cleaned all the cupboards and closets and got rid of things that I was no longer able to use or that caused too much clutter. I am starting to feel as if my space here is too small and closing in on me. Oh lord, I need an alkeseltzer and some feng shei.

English: Merry Christmas

2005-12-25T17:59:00.000-05:00

Afrikaans: Gesëende Kersfees
Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees
African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
Albanian:Gezur Krislinjden
Arabic: Milad Majid
Argentine: Feliz Navidad
Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal
Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha
Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
Brazilian: Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo
Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Chile: Feliz Navidad
Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
(Catonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Corsian: Pace e salute
Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Croatian: Sretan Bozic
Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish: Glædelig Jul
Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!or Zalig Kerstfeast
Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon
Estonian: Ruumsaid juulup|hi
Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French: Joyeux Noel
Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Galician: Bo Nada
Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
German: Froehliche Weihnachten
Greek: Kala Christouyenna!
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew: Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi: Shub Naya Baras
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaian: Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Lausitzian:Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar
Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik
Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb
Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori: Meri Kirihimete
Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh
Navajo: Merry Keshmish
Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul
Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado
Papiamento: Bon Pasco
Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
Philipines: Maligayan Pasko!
Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
Portuguese:Feliz Natal
Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
Romanche: (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele
Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Serbian: Hristos se rodi
Slovakian: Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh
Serb-Croatian: Sretam Bozic. Vesela Nova Godina
Serbian: Hristos se rodi. Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene: Vesele Bozicne. Screcno Novo Leto
Spanish: Feliz Navidad
Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Tami: Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai
Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym
Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho
Vietnamese: Chung Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh: Nadolig Llawen
Yugoslavian: Cestitamo Bozic
Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!

christmas eve.

2005-12-24T20:21:00.000-05:00

Went to look at land and houses today. I don't know what the Realtor was smoking but the land he directed us to was unfit to build on and in some cases even walk on. There was one lead that said rolling "farm land" but it was going to be the future site of a pig farm and it was in a flood zone - are you following me??? IT WASN'T EVEN FIT FOR PIGS TO LIVE ON! The other land would have been o.k. - if I were a billy goat! It was on the side of a mountain said "good for hunting" maybe if you were hoisted up from the other side of the mountain. And the last piece of land ... I'm not really sure how you would get down there, it was over a cliff. We said we wanted acres but we wanted to USE them not just HAVE them.

And then there was the house. I looooooooooooooong for this house. It is cedar and the garage looks like a small barn. It has 20 acres - but no tree farm space. It's all woods. But it is just too expensive - but I still dream about dancing around the 5 bedrooms, den, livingroom AND family room. Isn't that crazy - who lives like that? Not me. Don't know why the Realtor sent us to that one. It's odd he sent us to 3 unfit properties and one unbelievable dream home. Is this a tactic to "wear you down" that they learn in real estate school?

Any how - I'm alone on Christmas Eve. but hubby will be home in a few hours. Unfortunately, in his line of work, they need someone there all the time. I was just thinking our adventures of scouting the land this morning and didn't really have much else to say (let alone diet related).

I wish all my friends and bloggers a safe and happy holiday. Please forgive yourself if you give into temptation - that's what Mondays and the New Years is for, resolution, and we'll find it together.

the 12 days of vacation.

2005-12-23T18:35:00.000-05:00

I look forward to it every year - my time off from the office where I don't have to take a vacation day. They gave us 7 working days attached to two weekends. A nice way to finish off the end of the year but it leaves me 40 miles from yoga and the gym is locked tighter then "jingle bells."

"My_Merlin" stopped by my blog yesterday and mentioned that perhaps a little outside run (outside run?yikes) or a good abs work out may be in order while I am away from my daily routine. It occurred to me that I should shoot for SOMETHING or ANYTHING everyday over the break ... even if it's 15 minutes of yoga poses or a walk or running in place to the satellite music channel (?).

Today, I came home from work early - they let us out at noon. I fell asleep on the couch and I had a dream that there were birds that were living in my Christmas tree. They were the most amazing bird - unlike I had ever seen before. They were like little finches - I held out my index finger and a little purple/lilac bird hopped on. I walked over to the door to let the little bird outside but then I realized that they can't go outside. I also found a pheasant, a duck, and other birds living in the tree. Ya never know, I think what inspired the dream is the amount of land we are thinking of getting - hubby was raised working on his family tree farm so we were considering a small tree farm. Which I think is grand, because maybe we can grow some specialty pines -I have forever been a fan or weeping pines. To think, a tree could weep is just amazing to me.

ready for 06.

2005-12-22T08:38:00.000-05:00

This is my last “gym day” until 2006. It will be closed until January 4th. I think I would like to run but my knee has a little ache and that is something I don’t want to encourage. I may do the elliptical instead - but it comes down to how I feel when I go.

I have yoga tonight. I may or may not make it over to another yoga class before the first week in January. The lack of exercise opportunities over the next two weeks concerns me but I am really looking forward to a new year.

The things that I am doing now seem like a dynamite combination when all are in full swing. Yoga 2x a week. Weight training 3x a week and heavy cardio 2x a week. I must say - my shoulders are getting quite nice and I am noticing a definition in my thighs that I never noticed before - even at a lighter weight.

run, yoga, bike.

2005-12-21T15:24:00.000-05:00

I ran 5 freakin’ miles yesterday. I was going to stop at 4 but I got mad for some reason. I think I got mad because I always stop at 4 miles. Lately, I’ve been starting my runs at a slow pace - like 5.0 (or a 12 min. mile) and every mile or half mile I increase the speed. It’s a-ways-away from being the 6 miles at 6.0 (or 10 min. mile) that I once had and desire again. I made it up to 5.7 and dropped back down to 5.0 to finish before cool down at 4 miles. But instead - I increased the speed again and then again. I kept bumping it up until I hit 5 miles.

Last night, I went to Kundalini class. It was really good. I think I had a small break through. I have problems doing the bow pose - when lying on my tummy my legs don’t go far off the ground. The instructor said rock side to side and pull one leg at a time up off the floor. I was able to stretch out my legs and lift them ... it’s just too much for me to do it from a dead start but if I start by rocking - I can get them up there. I must work with this new found flexibility some more. If I can do the bow pose then I can get the flexibility that I want in my backbends.

Then today, I did 11 miles on the bike - was going to do 10 but same thing - why stop at 10? I think Kundalini is a great practice in discipline as well and over all health. It sort of gives you the ability to set aside temporary discomfort to allow you to follow through onto the next step. Nice.

I would give my eating a B- yesterday. I went out to dinner with family - I had 2-3 appetizers things but ordered a low cal meal. Then I had peanut butter on crackers a little later. Good but not so good but not bad.

dirty little number.

2005-12-20T11:52:00.000-05:00

Getting ready to go to the gym. I think I’ll run/jog today. Tonight is yoga and meeting my mom for dinner.

I really liked it when I had veg. soup for dinner but I haven’t been able to do that lately. I think after the new year - as part of my healthy conscious ways - I will eat nonstarchy vegetables for dinner. I have been basically eating what ever I want and haven’t really gained or lost.

I think for 2006 I am going to eat more vegetables, drink more water and exercise as much as possible and laugh a lot more. I don’t have to feel ashamed of anyone discovering my weight ... you can’t see happiness on a scale so I am going to push forward not to a number but a level of satisfaction.

They say “numbers don’t lie” but I think they do - they don’t tell a whole truth.

hello dear friends, fellow bloggers and coworkers (tee, hee).

2005-12-19T15:13:00.000-05:00

Monday was another drag-your-ass to the gym day! I don’t know if it has something to do with the stress of the holidays or what but it is HARD to make to the gym and I don’t love it at all but, dang it, I went anyhow. I did 10 miles in 45 mins on the bike. That was it - it made me walk like Ray Charles/Red Fox afterwards but I felt great.

Last night, when hubby got home from 2nd shift he woke me up (like he does every night when he comes home) I always ask who he works with that night and what they talked about. Heaven help me - I’m nosey that way (he could probably start a blog about that ...) He worked with a corrections officer he knew since college who was on his way to the gym after the shift was over at midnight. I asked hubby why he didn’t go along. Just wasn’t into it I guess. His friend said on his way to the gym - “you don’t have to do a lot when you get there - just go there and be consistant” Amen to that.

this earth, this realm ... this pennsylvania.

2005-12-18T08:31:00.000-05:00

Saturday and Sunday I pretty much spent the day driving around the state of Pennsylvania with my hubby looking for a place to move. We know that we would like to move closer to work - with in a 20 mile radius.

Right away hubby found a 20 acre lot 25 miles away from work. It’s mostly wooded and a really great price. We would have to build a house there but we have to check things out first.

I liked a place that was only 12 miles from work - a nice place at the top of a mountain (no more flooding basement!) for a horrible price and only 5 acres.

I have a feeling we will finds something in between the two.

And ... I don’t forget about walking the puppers or going for a jog!! All of these things need to be taken into consideration.

discovered.

2005-12-17T08:12:00.000-05:00

I don’t know what got the best of me the other day - I went on a blog to and saw a “who links to me link.” I thought “how clever, wouldn’t it be interesting to find out who, in fact linked to me?” So I did and that it was nice to see my fellow health friends from all over ... but then I was reading about how so and so has a stat counter and you can see all your hits from all over the world and that seemed like a fun time .... so I linked that to my blog.

Horror of horror. Often times I post from work ... so I guess it could be fairly easy to discover that there are folks from work that read my blog! I thought about it and it doesn’t bother me really. I keep it pretty clean I don’t talk about sexy stuff or how I hate this person or that person. I have read in the past that it is problematic to keep a blog and post at work - not for the time it takes but because one could be posting about work and letting all the cats out of the bad so-to-speak.

I more than likely I know this person ... in fact, I know where they looked at my site this weekend away from work. I haven’t a clue why they would be so interested in my day-to-day eating and exercise. But this is a fact: I have given my link to my best friends so there is nothing here that I wouldn’t tell them anyhow. The only reason I didn’t want to tell anyone else because I posted my actual weight - I won’t do that anymore. Just to let you know ... and I hope you are healthy and happy.

not much new.

2005-12-16T15:08:00.000-05:00

I totally didn’t want to go to the gym today - but I’m glad I went. I was feeling a little stiff and maybe a little achy from the cold and the snow. I ran about 1.5 miles and then did 20 mins on the stairmaster. Yesterday I ran 4 miles and nothing else - the yoga studio was closed bcause of the snow storm.

Last night I made 2 tote-bags made from the Woolrich fabric I got at the factory store - I had 1 already made and 3 more to go. I am making them for my co-workers as holiday gifts. Last year I made little hand bags and the year before I knitted everyone scarfs. It keeps me crafty and busy. It means I’m not snacking - which is good. I have 2 quilts that I am working on too.

snow, work out, home.

2005-12-15T12:15:00.000-05:00

Looks like we might be sent home from work early - a snow storm is on the way. I’ll be able to have a lunch time work out but I might have to miss Yoga at 4:30 p.m.

I am kicking myself for missing my work out yesterday but I was SO sore! And now I might miss a work out tonight because of the snow. Yikes!

I have been so good the last few days - only I know that when I go home I am a little (o.k. a lot) lazy. I am all alone and all I seem to want to do is watch t.v. I wish hubby were working 1st or 3rd shift so that I can at least have someone to talk to at night. I keep thinking that I would be able to find more things to do at night if it were summer - but I think it’s an excuse. I am slightly (only slightly) depressed about being home alone at nights.

It will all change with his new work schedule after the first of the year he will be on 3rd shift and sleep all day. Then we can do stuff together at night. Makes me wonder what I did when I was single - oh, I worked 16 hours a day for years on end, that’s right, now I remember.

must be good today.

2005-12-14T11:23:00.000-05:00

Well I won’t be wearing a skirt to work for the rest of the week! It’s not just cold - it’s DARN cold! I looked on my digital thermometer this morning -3 degrees. I guess in some places around here it was -8 degrees! I dressed on my woolies today!

I’m hungry today. I always take hunger as a good sign. It means tat I must have done something good to kick up my metabolism and it also means that I didn’t over eat. The problem with having a “hungry day” is the fine line between satiating that hunger and over doing it. It’s always a fine line for me.

Ran 3.5 miles yesterday and had a really crazy hard Kundalili class that made me really sore. Gym to lift today, I think, if I don’t wimp out.

run, yoga, eat (in that order).

2005-12-13T12:42:00.000-05:00

The weight lifting circuit with the girls is finished until Jan. 2006 but the gym is available for me to use by myself on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I sure do miss not meeting my friends though. Oh well, only a few short weeks and I’m sure the time will fly by!

I was determined to lift weights on my own - so I did a 6 mile bike ride and went off to do my arms. There were stinky boys taking up like 5 machines to do 1 exercise. I managed to do lat pulls, seated rows and tricep pulls - and that’s it. I got frustrated and left. What is it with boys? When they aren’t lifting on the machine - they are sitting next to it waiting for their next set (?).

Tonight I have Kundalini Yoga. Looking forward to it - seems to be getting easier - even when I do cardio earlier in the day. This afternoon I think I’ll go for a little run maybe 3-4 miles.

Eating was so good yesterday. I want to do better - I really do. Maybe today will be good too - I got lots of tofu and vegetables at the store. I’m finding you can prepare it different every day and it’s really good (and low cal. - can’t beat it).

I put new photos in flickr - I got a little tired of seeing my wedding photos everyday!

Well I better stop putting off my run!

more end of the year thoughts.

2005-12-12T09:47:00.000-05:00

I smoked cigarettes for about 10 years. When I was younger - I just didn’t care how it looked or smelled. I don’t know why I did it - it’s just what I did and I didn’t think much of it. About the time I turned 28 or 29 I started to work in an office environment where it became a socially unexceptible to smoke. I hated it. I hated myself for doing it. I would light another cigarette and think how horrible it was but I still did it.

Smoking didn’t stop until I started dating the guy I married - again I was the odd-man-out, he said I shouldn’t smoke and no one in his family smoked. So I quit - in like 3 days. I just plain had enough of it. I have had a few cigarettes since then ... maybe a pack here or there but I only had 1 or 2 and ended up throwing the rest of the pack away. But for the most part I never started smoking again. That’s not to sat that I don’t miss it because there are times that I really do.

It occurred to me - I think it was at Yoga one night - that I feel the exact same way about eating sometimes as I felt about smoking. I notice myself eating either too much of one thing or the wrong thing all together and it sort of disgust me in a way.

Last night, I was at home alone and I really had nothing to do ... I wasn’t hungry at all and I remember thinking, too bad I wasn’t hungry because I could have a snack. If I still smoked I could have had a cigarette and experienced the same sensation but the eating was there and the smoking wasn’t.

It all makes me wonder if I can get to the point where I can do right by eating like I did right by giving up cigarettes. I have tried Weight Watcher, low carb, low fat low cal, Richard Simoins, on and on and on ... but I feel like I never got it right. And I’m not sure, really what the best thing is that I should do.

end of the year thoughts.

2005-12-11T09:47:00.000-05:00

So lately I’ve been thinking that the plan is - that I’m not really following a plan. I have the weekdays I exercise and the weekends I don’t. I have the days when my eating is really good and times that it isn’t so good.

I don’t have a clue or and answer as to why things are the way they are. Never really came up with an emotional excuse for over eating and I don’t believe that it’s due to lack of exercise.

What I can say - there are a few blogs that I follow of different women that are dealt totally different circumstances and live a totally different existence than me that are having the “mid 70’s” dilemma. Now how could that be?

This dilemma cuts across race, economical circumstances, even geographical locations but we still have this in common. I read about us dieting, exercising and even falling off the wagon every now and again.

I once read (or heard) that the average size for an American woman was a size 14. However nice it is to be “average” but I can’t help but feeling stuck in a place that perhaps I wasn’t meant to be?

busy with the season.

2005-12-10T15:31:00.000-05:00

Shopping again today. Lots of coupons to use and deals to be had.

I cleaned the house for the most part but it will be total clean tonight or tomorrow after grocery shopping. Maybe I'll relax and watch netflix and work on a few holiday craft projects - need to get moving on those!

I ordered new furniture 2 months ago and it still isn't ready. How long does it take to get a plain plaid couch? Oh well. I will give all my old furniture to a family in need. I guess it's going to be here on the 20th just in time to get all the loose pine needles from the Christmas tree stuck in the cushion!

Tofu and veggies for dinner tonight! Yum, Yum. No exercise; shopping.

snowed in!

2005-12-09T15:22:00.000-05:00

Friday I spent the day snowed in with no work so no gym and Thursday the only exercise I got was Yoga, which was good, but no cardio going into the weekend (it's SO hard to get cardio on the weekend).

I am already starting to see how work lunches, family dinners and holidays parties are going to be a slight problem in the up coming weeks. Food choices are very difficult during this time - for me anyhow - I don't know about the rest of the free world.

Went shopping and got some good deals and it kept me moving. Dinner out to a new place - I was good and got the salad - oh, and a few beers. My weight ended up at 175lbs. 1 lb. down.

ticker no more.

2005-12-08T09:21:00.000-05:00

I am removing my ticker for the simple reason I HATE IT. It’s not my weight. I got on the scale today and it was a solid 176 lbs. (stupid scale). All this blah, blah talk about how I feel better when I don’t get on the scale made me think - well, I wonder how I am doing with my weight because I feel so darn good. I am still up 7 lbs. from my low weight. I have gone from 165-185 lbs over the last 5 years but I am mostly in the mid 70’s somewhere - all the while working out like a dang fool. Oh sure, many would look better in a swimsuit by now - but I bet I could kick their ass (now that’s demure, huh?).

An Italian man once told me “never wash a donkeys ass - it is a waste of soap and time.” And I'm still not sure what this really means ... but I think I’ve been wasting soap and time.

weigh no more?

2005-12-07T15:42:00.000-05:00

Did 1 hour or yoga last night and missed the weight lifting circuit today. Instead I ran for 200 cals., the stair master for 150 cals., and then elliptical for 150 cal. All-in-all about an hour.

I haven’t weighted myself in well over a week. I know my weight is lower because my rings are loose and my clothes fit well. I may be with in a few lbs. of 169 lbs. but I have this huge fear of getting on the scale and it being way over 180 lbs. I know it’s lower than that - but I don’t want to take the chance. That stupid scale has hurt me one to many times.

Maybe not weighing myself is the way to go - I tell myself that if I don’t weigh myself - my weight will creep up. But this whole time that I haven’t been weighing myself - I have a different sense of awareness about calories and exercise that I didn’t necessarily have before. It’s could be like having your vision taken away - you may develop a stronger sense of scent and keen hearing.

Honestly, I think I would weigh myself and wonder how much can I get away with (eating) and not gain weight.

to walk a mile in those shoes.

2005-12-06T15:44:00.000-05:00

I ran 4 miles today - I had this brilliant idea ... instead of running one long run once a week, maybe I’ll try 2 semi-long runs twice a week. SO maybe I’ll try to get a 4 miler in on Thursday as well. I also have yoga Tuesday and Thursday (my semi long run days) so I really don’t want to try to do too much. Although I felt very strong today when I was running. I don’t feel as if I ran at all right now.

I was thinking about New Years and all the resolutions that people make. I thought for a moment or two ... what if my resolution is to never get on a scale and just live day-to-day based on how I feel. My first thought was that I would let myself go and with out keeping track my weight may creep up.

Often I wonder - I really do - what it’s like to not know or care about how much you weigh or what shape you’re are in on any given day. Must be a whole other experience ... I’d walk a mile in those shoes - but I’d probably be counting the calories I burned.

if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.

2005-12-05T15:32:00.000-05:00

For the longest time I have had a battle with peanut butter. Seems like peanut butter is going to be in my house weather I like it or not. Most days, I prefer NOT. I find it very hard to resist it for a fast snack - all that is needed is 1 jar or peanut butter and 1 spoon. It happens so fast sometimes the even I don’t realize what happened. I’m just left there with a spoon in my hand counting the calories and fat that I just consumed. Thinking “what did I just do?”

I’ve been eating peanut butter and my weight has been going down. I read this fantastic article about how good peanuts are for you ... so I thought it’s no different than using olive oil on some things, right?

I decided to use while cooking rather than just eat it alone or on crackers. Last week I made tofu, Thai spices, peanut butter and a splash of fish sauce (you really only need a drop or two of fish sauce ...) And it was really yummy. It’s still low cal. -- 2 Tb. are like 290 cals. and tofu, for the whole package, has less than 200 cals. So really it’s dinner for about 400 cals. It’s a little high in fat - but it’s the good fat that is supposed to take away bad cholesterol.

ALSO, I am hoping that by making friends with the peanut butter - I can let go of these feelings that it has some sort of control over me ... now, maybe I’ll just be able to walk away from the jar.

3 year plateau.

2005-12-04T15:01:00.000-05:00

I realized that I have been keeping a blog for nearly a year. And last year at this time - I weighed about the same as I do now. Last year I had a dr. appointment and asked how much I weighted the year before - same. I am beginning to think that this I am on a plateau - - a three year plateau!!

Now does anyone out there have any suggestions for that? Like take the stairs at work - instead of the elevator. Maybe I can park my car further away in the parking lot so that I can walk a little more each time.

How about more like - I am running 2-5 miles 3-4x a week, yoga at least twice a week, and weight training 3x a week. It’s silly, just silly.

I didn’t even weight myself for the last several days - even though I know my weight is going down - I didn’t want to weigh myself because I know it wasn’t going to be the number that I think it should be and what ever the lower number is - it’s never enough.

Last week I ran 5.25 miles in 1 hr. and litfed 100 eff’n pounds over my head, oh! and I was able to do the “side plank pose” that I could not do before - if this does not count for something - than I don’t know what does.

So there, I feel better about my “plateau.”

silly saturday.

2005-12-03T09:27:00.000-05:00

I have NO IDEA what happened on Saturday - I was sooooooo lazy. I can’t say I left the house the entire day. I guess I just didn’t want to go outside into the cold.

I had this book when I was a child about a penguin that lived in the North Pole and he dreamed of living on a warm beach. One day he actually went to the edge of an iceberg and cut himself free and tried to float to a warmer climate. I can’t remember if he made it or not - I think his heat source melted the iceberg and all his belongings floated away. Anyhow the point is - I remember that I could strongly identify with the penguin about longing for a warmer climate. And when the ice forms on the mighty Susquehanna River - I, too, may go there and stand on the ice, cut my self free and try to float my way to a warmer climate - perhaps as far as well maybe Maryland or DC?

At any rate - no exercise and o.k. eating.

fun friday.

2005-12-02T13:07:00.000-05:00

I’m fighting the urge NOT to go to the gym ... but I must go. I skiped Tuesdays running and yoga because I was not feeling well. I haven’t been exercising on the weekends but for the most part - I’ve been hitting the workouts at least 5 days a week.

Yesterday I ran (to horrible radio music) 5.25 miles. I took it at a slow pace. I wanted to increase the speed but I didn’t want to burn out before my hour was up. It’s the most I’ve gone in a while. I’m still trying to get 6 miles in 1 hour back - I had it once about a year ago.

Went to Yoga last night (after running) it wasn’t as bad as before but really gives your legs a work out. Think I may try for a 10 mile bike ride at the gym and really give those legs another big work out before the lazy weekend.

It’s really brisk outside. It feels like a Netflix night - “All the Presidents Men.” I’m addicted to watching movies. I waitressed and worked in restaurants for a number of years so I spent most of my nights working - I never really saw that many movies. Now I can’t get enough of them and Netflix makes it TOO EASY.

what’s in your lunch?

2005-12-01T11:19:00.000-05:00

I like pumpernickel bread. It’s low cal. and seems to have lots of fiber ... today I wondered - what IS ‘pumpernickel’? I googled it and here what I found ...

The true origin of “pumpernickel” is nearly as strange, if somewhat less savory. “Pumpern” was a New High German word similar in meaning to the English “fart” (so chosen because, like the word “achoo,” it imitated the sound it described), and “Nickel” was a form of the name Nicholas, an appellation commonly associated with a goblin or devil (e.g., “Old Nick” is a familiar name for Satan). Hence, pumpernickel is the “devil’s fart,” allegedly a reference to the bread’s indigestible qualities and hence the effect it produced on those who consumed it.

My lunch: a devil’s fart sandwich. Figures.

i may never run a marathon ...

2005-11-30T13:19:00.000-05:00

Feeling much, much better today. Went to the gym - had a short run and gave the weights a workout. I listened to the horrible radio and dreamed of the day I would download the best-ever running songs. Some Mary J and Missy E ... maybe a little 80’s music to keep me running to a cocaine beat. I would run - I would run forever - if I only had my IPOD. Soon ...

I did have a break through on the weights today - I lifted 100 lbs seated military press. I did a set of 10-12 can remember when I actually fizzled out. I don’t know what even made me try it - it’s like one of those days when you feel like you can do anything - so I tried it. It was crazy - I don’t know where it comes from - maybe I should have started lifting weights at a much younger age. Really the only reason I do it is to build muscle - to burn more fat.

Lifting is the one thing I’m good at - I wish I could run a marathon - I wish I were a yoga goddess. But I can lift weights ... it may never make me a skinny-mini or even run a marathon but, by god, I can do it.

funky day.

2005-11-29T08:41:00.000-05:00

Not feeling very bloggy today - not feeling very well at all. I feel like I got beat up in my sleep. It took me forever to fall asleep and in turn, it took me forever to wake up. It's one of those days when I have a chill I can't get rid of and I feel sort of sick too.

I lifted weights and did 15 mins on the elliptical yesterday. Today I just don’t know if I can make the long run. Not sure what I’ll do over lunch instead - shop for shoes? (fav. new page: www.shoewawa.com)

Strange weather here, warm and windy. Should be cold and snowy - maybe that’s what is messing me up.

My weight was still up today - swear all I had was tofu and vegetables last night but the flavoring was salty. Tofu is really yummy - can’t believe I never really cooked with it before - may try it with thai seasoning tonight.

week 3: gain.

2005-11-28T08:26:00.000-05:00

I have a few good reasons for a gain ... 1) the holiday 2) the wedding I went to 3) TOM.

My weight was up today. But I’m not upset at all - it’s nothing more than a little bloat on weigh-in day and really there is nothing I can do about it other than to stick to my plan and hope it goes back down soon - and it will.

No yoga tonight - the doggie is outside all day by himself and I need to get home and take care of him. Hubby is out in the woods trying to shoot deer so there is no one to at home to spend time with the dog. I will have a short run and lift weights over my lunch break today.

new week, new start.

2005-11-27T08:20:00.000-05:00

This weeks weigh in does not look too hopeful. I don’t think there is going to be a loss, in fact, there might be a gain. Everytime I go to my kitchen to straighten up or get something to eat or drink - I try to “weed out” foods that are tempting and that will cause weight gain. The gravy was first to go, the stuffing (made “Racheal Ray” style), I threw away chips, dip and mashed potatoes. It would be nice to have my healthy choices back.

Monday I will go to the store and buy plenty of veggies and whole grain stuff and we will get back on track.

wedding bells.

2005-11-26T12:42:00.000-05:00

It is SOOOOOOO nice to be a guest at a wedding! I went to a wedding on Saturday. I guess my eating and exercise wasn't on point ... there was lots of dancing, drinking and laughing. I had a really great time - I think everyone did.

today's soup: turkey.

2005-11-25T12:15:00.000-05:00

So it's not veggie soup - but it is for the most part low fat and low cal. We boiled the bones of the turkey and made a really yummy broth. Took the left overs from the turkey and veggie tray and threw them in a ta-da! Turkey soup!

I am really making it a point not to eat any or the red flag left overs - like mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy ... oh and pie. Tried to give them away - no takers. I think my mom took two rolls with her ... oh well. There is plenty of tofu, soy beans, lettuce, veggie and turkey soup to keep my energy level up. I had danced my dance and now it's over - I need to eat well again so that I can do well for my WI on Monday.

happy thanksgiving!

2005-11-24T12:06:00.000-05:00

gobble, gobble, gobble!

can’t lives on won’t street.

2005-11-23T08:39:00.000-05:00

I ran 5 miles yesterday! At first I was running for speed slowed it down for distance. It took me nearly an hour - but I made it. An hour later, I went to Kundalini Yoga (am I crazy?) my legs shook the whole time. I slept so good and I woke up feeling even better. Even my eating was great yesterday - I counted in my head 1200-1300 calories.

I have a mid-week gain ((3 lbs. blah!). I know it’s not a fat gain - I have been doing really well so I know it’s not a fat gain. With the holiday I just hope to break even this week ... NO MORE GAINS!

Don’t know how much exercise I will get over the next 4 days. I will lift weights today and go for a short run.

getting stronger ... or not?

2005-11-22T08:34:00.000-05:00

Monday was a great day. My calories were a little high - I’m not counting calories (although I should ...) I just sort of added them up in my head at the end of the day. It was about 1700 calories - not ‘weight loss” mode but not weight gain mode either. So we’ll call it even.

Exercise yesterday was grand. I did weight training.. I was able to do the seated military press with 80 lbs. It’s the first time I’ve done that in nearly a year. ON THE OTHER HAND, at yoga we were to do a “side plank” - picture a push up, now rotate your body to it’s SIDE and hold yourself up with one arm. I fell to the mat, SPLAT in the middle of the quiet, monk-music studio.

I really don’t get his ... I was able to lift a considerable amount of weight but couldn’t do this exercise - this is just the thing that went wrong when I decided to join the military. I could not do a push up for the life of me and got sent to a special training camp - when I was there, I could life more than any girl there - except for this one girl ... but I still could not do the required push ups. At the end of the sessions I still wasn’t doing them correctly. AND I was 25-30 lbs lighter then too.

I imagine it’s core strength, my weight or simply the way I’m built. I always look in awe when I see someone pounding out the push ups ... it’s not so easy for everyone - even if you’re strong enough.

Today is the “long run” with bad music. IPOD will be here soon.

week 2: -1.5 lbs. total loss 4.5 lbs.

2005-11-21T08:07:00.000-05:00

I was down a little more this week and I am so glad I lost. I am still up like 5 lbs. from my WW weight but according to my scale at home I have 8 lbs to lose until I reach 169 lbs. SO that’s the new big goal.

Yoga this week but probably only today and tomorrow. I only work 3 days this week. YEA!! Two day off for Thanksgiving. I am glad too. Hubby has been scheduled to work 2nd shift, of “evening watch” as they call it, and it really sucks. I am alone most of the week. It isn’t so bad in summer when it’s nice and warm out but when it’s cold and dark and you’re alone night after night - it can wear on your nerves. I end up getting adjusted to it and then he will get a shift change and I will see him every night - THEN I have to get used to that!

Tough week for us "healthy-way-of-eating" types. Need to remember: it’s “holi-DAY” not “holi-WEEK.” Easier said than done when there is a big pie hanging out in your kitchen.

observations.

2005-11-20T07:59:00.000-05:00

Haven’t been eating veggie soup. I have, however, been eating vegetable based foods for dinner - such as mushroom burgers, tofu and salads. I feel pretty good.

I feel really good in the mornings as my biggest problem is eating most of my calories at night, I don’t wake up with an over stuffed feeling.

I did dip into the peanut butter twice this week and ate a few bites of food that hubby cooked that wasn’t bad but wasn’t on my plan either. I had a few mixed drinks over the weekend but I blended them with fruit and didn’t have a high calorie soda. Other than that - It’s been a pretty good week.

Some things I noticed are ...

- if tofu comes flavored it can sometime have up to 40 grams of fat per package, not per serving, but the servings are very small so you could easily eat the whole package.

- sometimes it’s better just to eat a bag of 250 calorie pop corn when looking for a snack. Calories add up quickly. 250 calories can be consumed quickly - especially if you eat dairy or animal protein.

- flax bread can either have 140 calories a slice or 90 calories a slice and both have the same amount of fiber. Be sure to read your labels.

no snacks, being good.

2005-11-19T18:17:00.000-05:00

Was another pound down today - let's hope I keep just a little loss for Monday's WI. I had tofu today - it was really yummy. I got a spice packet - south western flavor - and sprinkled grates cheese on it. Could this be the perfect food? Low cal, low fat, and low carb!! Not so high in fiber so I still have to eat the whole grains. Can't believe I never tried it before - I tell you it's in my future ...

Shopping and cleaning today. Hubby is on 2nd shift for a few weeks. Got some fabric at Woolrich - maybe craft projects this week? It's that time of year.

No exercise this weekend - just keeping busy.

snacks.

2005-11-18T10:39:00.000-05:00

It didn’t turn into a perfect diet exercise day yesterday - but I did what I could. i forgave myself and moved on.

Didn’t run. I was involved in numerous projects at work and I kept putting off going to the fitness center. I kept thinking one more thing ... I can do one more thing and then I’ll go over. But I didn’t make it over there until 2-3 p.m. and by then I was mentally exhausted, which made my physically exhausted. So I did a 10 mile bike ride and it was all I could do to do that. Not bad, but it wasn’t my running goal.

I only had an hour or work after that but I got and eye pain. I never really get head aches, really, I get a pain behind my eye - it’s like a head ache, maybe means I should get glasses or find the ones I lost.

After work I was tied, hungry, had and eye pain and it was 20 degrees outside I got to my car and the gas was only “empty” (which was annoying because I was wearing a skirt and I hate to pump gas when it’s cold and I’m wearing a skirt ...) So I scrapped yoga, which is a big laugh because I made a HUGE deal about them not having class then when I find out that they DO have a class I don’t go.

My eating was fine, just fine yesterday. I ate the mushroom burger, I ate the soup. Had a little just lettuce salad. I skipped the peanut butter. Then I wanted a snack ... o.k., fine. So I got out the soy beans and had them 250 cals. and good protein and fiber. A few hours later I wanted another snack - and I wasn’t really hungry. So I made popcorn - 250 calories and tons of fiber. But together those 2 snacks were like 500 calories. I don’t know what came over me but I didn’t need them both.

This is how it happens all the time. I know what the problem is - I just don’t know how to stop it. SO, not a bad day but not an great day either. Must try again today. I'm down .5 lbs today. Go figure.

thursday blah, blah stuff.

2005-11-17T11:45:00.000-05:00

So last week I was just eating soup - and I dropped 3 of the lbs. that I gained after I lost them to begin with (is anyone other than me seeing a pattern?). This week I got some goodies to have for dinner WITH my soup. Last night I had a portabella mushroom burger -made from mushrooms, with flax seed bread. It was really good.

Yesterday I had a short run and lifted weights. Today I have my goals set on a long run - at least 4 miles (I hope, I hope). And, AND, AND! There IS Yoga tonight. I think I got confused - they were handing out a paper with the times and dates and I picked up the schedule for the lady that was going away this week - there are 2 other yogis that will be holding class. I realized this AFTER I called the yogi that was out and asked her (in a nice way) when she was holding class again (silly me). But it’s all “namaste” and all. I’ll only get to go 1 day this week - but it’s better than none, right?

I still haven’t dipped below 3 lbs loss yet. I think I am making my official weigh in time Monday morning when I wake up.

my run yesterday:

2005-11-16T08:16:00.000-05:00

At mile 1: “I’m going to run 6, 6 miles if it kills me!”

At mile 2: “5.5 miles, I know I have time for 5.5 miles!”

Half way: “5 miles is good. I can match the 5 miles I did last week.”

At 4.25 miles:”4.25 miles is good ...”

Well, I ran and it was a pretty good distance. I may try a long run on Thursday.

I am still a little “put off” that there is NO YOGA this week and maybe no yoga next week. I just need to make sure I hit the fitness center everyday and keep up with the good eating.

Last night dinner was on the run - so I got sushi and had some left over chili at home. My weight was up a half a pound today but you notice these things from day-to-day, I guess, if you weigh yourself all the time. I didn’t take it as a gain - I was still hungry in the morning so I guess I didn’t eat too much last night. I think the rice from the sushi and the beans were a little starchy. I picked up some tofu at the store - tonight I’ll probably have that and some "heart and soul” veggie soup (which is getting really old ...not the soup itself, just the idea of it).

I had a strange conversation yesterday at the fitness center. I had just finished my run and I went to the locker room to change. There was another woman who regularly attends the fitness center getting ready for her work out. She is slender and long - young and very pretty. I was joking, saying “why do we do it to ourselves??” (meaning exercise and work out) she replied “sometimes that’s why I think that fat people have it good because they really don’t care.” It was a strange new point of view - I almost fell over where I stood. What? Don’t care? Odd. I didn’t even feel like responding - how do you respond to somethign like that?

need a long run and better music.

2005-11-15T10:55:00.000-05:00

My weight was the same today. Today is my “long run” day and it’s just what I need. I am sort of dreading the lack o’ music until I get an mp3 player. There is just radio for me now, sometimes it’s interesting because I hear a song that I like that I haven’t heard in a while ... but for the most part - I can only get like 5 good stations that come in strong and one of them is playing Christmas music 24 hours a day until the end of the year. I can’t take it I tell you. But I have been hinting that I need an ipod nano for running and now that Walmart carries them - it’s o.k. to get one. Once it hits Walmart, I guess it seems that the price isn’t going to go down much more and it’s no longer an electronic novelty.

Tonight I wanted to eat veggie soup and just veggie soup but it seems I may need to get “dinner on the run.” It’s so tricky when you have to plan not to over eat or eat the wrong thing ... because it’s almost like this big old world isn’t set up for us to be healthy. I keep wondering who the heck is buying all this junk food they keep selling?

week 1: -3 lbs.

2005-11-14T08:36:00.000-05:00

The first week of the “soup for dinner” way-of-eating is complete. I was down 4 lbs yesterday and I am only down 3 lbs today.

Here are things that I have noted:

- It is difficult to have my own special dinner of soup and salad when hubby is home and wants to cook. It isn’t that he doesn’t want me to have soup and salad - he just wants to cook for me so that we can have dinner together - and it’s not soup and salad. He does, however, try to cook healthy.

- When I eat the soup before going out - I am able to order light dinner entries and not feel as if I’m deprived somehow.

- I feel STRONGER at the gym when I eat less (?) how can that be? Maybe it’s just because I’m going to the gym more and building back up?

- It is possible “get full” eating the veggie soup but I don’t get stuffed. Often times I need a little more soup later in the evening after dinner because I am hungry again (it’s just non-starchy vegetables and broth ...) so I have a little more soup.

- Hunger can occur more often and I take this as a sign that my metabolism is speeding up.

All in all not bad. I am no longer going according to the Weight Watchers scale - which was 3 lbs. lighter than mine at home. So, I basically have 3 more lbs. to lose off the bat. As of today. I still need to lose 9.5 lbs. to reach 169 lbs. on my scale at home. If it were the weight watchers scale - I’d only need to lose 6.5 lbs. SO, my mini goal is to reach 169 lbs. on my scale by the end of the year - that’s 9.5 lbs. to go. So there, I told you with out actually saying the numbers but you all can “do the math.”

soup, soup and more soup.

2005-11-13T19:01:00.000-05:00

A photo of me over the summer at 169 lbs.

O.k. the weekends are hard. Went out to dinner again Saturday night. But it's the end of hubby's two week deer-hunting vacation from work - so he deserves a few nights out. I went to Applebees - I had soup before I went. I was able to enjoy a Weight Watchers dinner and not walk away starved. I did, however, walk away very tipsy. I had two light beers and I guess I am a little less bloated then usual and haven't been eating as much those two beers hit me like a lager 6 pack (I know someone out there knows what I mean).

Fiber one for breakfast, turkey sandwich for lunch, soup and shrimp with vegetables for dinner. I was half-a-pound lighter again. That's a total of 4 lbs. this week - but I'm still up a bit from my 169 lb. goal. I can't be too cocky - I could gain tomorrow morning!

I was going to make a new soup today - but I still have some frozen. I'll finish it by mid-week. I'm thinking something chicken broth with tofu. I got some shrimp to add to my "just lettuce" salad for variety and protein. I also picked up a pack of portabella burgers. Maybe I'll have these with my soup this week. Tonight the soup is chili, hubby is cooking. I have to really try not to over do it - tomorrow it's back to veggie soup.

No exercise this weekend - kept busy though. Tomorrow is a short run and weights.

soup-er soup.

2005-11-12T18:46:00.000-05:00

The soup thing is going good. Friday night I went out to dinner with hubby. It's tough. I want to eat certain things - and I don't find that when I go out to eat. We ended up going to a place that has a salad bar. I ate a big bowl of veggie soup before hand - it helped. I wasn't starved for dinner. I had a 2-3 breaded shrimp from hubby's dinner - I also had 2 beers, light beers.

Because it was the most I ate in a week - I felt like I stuffed my self with six wet dish towels ... I really didn't like that feeling. I was so in control at the salad bar! But everything one thing I did notice was that everything tasted so sweet - even the dressing - like everything has tons of sugar in it to flavor it - so I ate mostly the veggies, pumpernickel bread with pate and shrimp. I was a half-a-pound lighter. That's 3.5 lbs. gone.

drat

2005-11-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

I went to Yoga last light and there was an alternative schedule for next week - it seems they aren’t having ANY evening classes. SO there are NO classes for me to take (as I ... like a lot of other folks ... WORK during the day). The thing that sort of ticks-me-off is that I paid by the month and I am missing an entire week. The week after that is Thanksgiving and I’m sure there will be at least 1-2 more days canceled for the holiday - thats two weeks in a row that I won’t be able to take advantage of the “unlimited” classes. I realize that it’s a small studio and that one lady basically runs the whole show with two part time assistants BUT if she were to wonder why she doesn’t have more clients ... I might be inclined to suggest that they should have classes available on their scheduled times. O.k. enough of that ... I guess absence makes the heart grow fonder - maybe I’ll like yoga that much more when I can actually go again. But I don’t know how many months of this I can actually take and still shell out monthly fees.

I am still having veggie soup for dinner every day so far this week. I did add a “just lettuce” salad with lite balsamic vinegar dressing. Seems to be going o.k. - there was no weight loss today, in fact, the scale was threatening to take back a half a pound. Mean, mean scale. I feel great though - it was like I was really bloated but not so much now.

This weekend is going to be hard. I will try to stick to the basic plan ... fiber one, ff milk and raspberries for breakfast. Yogurt and fruit for a mid-morning snack. Turkey and 2 slices of whole grain bread for lunch. An apple or and orange if I’m hungry ... and veggie soup for dinner.

Today I will run 1.5 miles and lift weights at the gym.

what is iyengar yoga?

2005-11-10T08:04:00.000-05:00

The Iyengar method of Yoga is initially learnt through the in-depth study of asanas (posture) and pranayama (breath control)

Tonight is Yoga - that makes 3 times this week ... I can really see how some folks can get lost in this practice. It is the ‘lite’ level - which leaves me flopping around on my Yoga mat like a wet mop. But I’m getting better.

Yesterday was a lite day at the gym. I ran 1.5 miles and lifted weights. About an hour all-in-all.

This morning I was .5 lbs down from yesterday. First 1.5 lbs., then 1 lb., the .5 lbs. SO, I know not to get pissed if there isn’t another loss this week - I’ve already lost 3 lbs. this week and that is good. I know it’s all slow loosing from here ... this was just beginners luck.

I got real hungry driving home from work yesterday. All I had on hand were a few apples and oranges in my gym bag that I keep in there for emergencies. I ate two small oranges on the was home and it’s really hard (and sticky) to peel them and drive. I took my hunger as a sign that my metabolism is getting kicked up. You know it’s strange - when I don’t watch what I eat - I can go from meal to meal and never really be hungry. I’m not so sure the human body was meant to work like that - it’s almost as if hunger should be a part of everyday life even if it’s for a short time.

I am looking for a new soup to make this weekend. I saw a wonderful recipe for a Chinese Winter Soup that has tofu in it - looks good. I need to find something good because it’s what I’m having for dinner all week.

No running today. I got a blister on he arch of my foot from running 5 miles - it’s still pretty tender. Instead I will try to do 10 miles on the bike in 45 mins - that’s a pretty good cardio work out (and easy on my feet).